Holy Cross Leads Faculty From Jesuit Schools on Annual Pilgrimage of Ignatian History

For eight years, the College of the Holy Cross has organized an annual summertime pilgrimage for its faculty, and for colleagues at Jesuit colleges and universities around the United States, to visit important sites in the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. The pilgrimage is an opportunity for religiously diverse faculty to share a lived experience of early Jesuit history and Ignatian thought, which enriches their understanding and teaching of the College’s Jesuit mission.

Through Northern Spain, the pilgrims trace Ignatius’ footsteps, from Loyola Castle, the site of his birth and conversion, to the cave at Manresa where he dwelled for nearly a year, praying and practicing what would become his Spiritual Exercises. They visit the monastery at Montserrat, the birthplace of St. Francis Xavier and the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. Then, they fly to Rome and visit the apartments of St. Ignatius, the Gesù church and the church of St. Ignatius, and the sites of other early Jesuit ministries. View photos and the complete itinerary here.

“A remarkable number of pilgrims have described the experience as transformative,” said Thomas M. Landy, director of the Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture at Holy Cross and organizer of the annual pilgrimage. “No matter their religious affiliation or scholarly background, the faculty and staff who have made the pilgrimage feel a deepened connection to Jesuit mission that influences their work at Holy Cross or at their home institution.”

After her pilgrimage, Leila Philip, associate professor of English, wrote, “I can talk about these things with confidence because in addition to reading and thinking about these ideas, I was there, outside a dusty castle on a hot summer’s day, experiencing the landscape of St. Ignatius.”

Landy has guided the pilgrimage for more than 150 faculty and staff from Holy Cross and other Jesuit schools, which are always invited to participate. Xavier University and Loyola University Maryland send annual contingents, while Saint Joseph’s University, Fordham University, Marquette University and Santa Clara University have also been represented. Pilgrims have included Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., president of Holy Cross, and Rev. Michael Graham, S.J., president of Xavier University, along with professors of all disciplines — economics, political science, biology, religious studies, history, visual arts and more. While primarily focused around faculty, the pilgrimage is also open to invited administrators. Holy Cross sent its cabinet in 2007.

The camaraderie that builds among faculty of varying disciplines, seniority, and points of view is fundamental to the experience, where pilgrims not only tour a sacred space but spend hours on the bus or at dinner sharing stories and shaping ideas.

“The friendships I developed with colleagues, both senior and junior, Catholic and non-Catholic, emerged not simply from close proximity and ongoing conversation, but from a shared encounter with a history that mattered to all of us,” said Jonathan Mulrooney, associate professor of English.

To foster that connection among colleagues, Jesuit colleges and universities are invited to send at least two faculty or administrators to participate in the next pilgrimage, June 3-12, 2011. Preparatory readings and seminars are recommended to acquaint the pilgrims with one another and with the life and life’s work of St. Ignatius. For more information, please contact Tom Landy at tlandy@holycross.edu or 508-793-3723. A commitment of participation is needed by Dec. 3, 2010. Pictured: Stephanie Yuhl and Gwenn Miller, history professors at Holy Cross, visit Loyola Castle, the site of St. Ignatius' birth and conversion.